northrop



Aug 16' 1927' G. E. NoR'rHRoP MAILING- MACHINE Orizinal Filed Dec. 3l.1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Geohge E. ,V0/'Mrap ATTO R N EVS H". l1927. 1,639 053 Aug 6 G. E. NoRTHRoP MAILING MACHINE` Original FiledDeo. 3l. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR 'eafge i. lari/lmp ATTO Fl N EYSG. E. NORTHROP MAILING MACHINE Original Filed Dec.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTO R N EYQ Aug. 16, 1927. 1,639,053

G. E. NoRTHRoP MAILING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. s1. 1925 4sheets-sheet 4 GEORGE E. NOBTHROP, OF STAHTORD,

PATENT orrica.

CONNECTICUT, ABSIGNOB TO RED STAB APPLI- ANCES, INC., OF STANFORD,CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION Ol' DELAWARE.

MAILING 'IACHIN E.

original application illed December 31, 1925, Serial Ilo. 78,594.Divided and this application med April The present invention relates tomachines for sealing envelopes, and for printin with ink on the face ofthe envelope, as or instance, to cancel a Government stamp that Ipreviously has been aiixed on the envelope and to place adjacent to thecancelled stamp the name of the post ofiice, the date and hour ofcancellation, and the permit number .of the user. The machine is also ofservice for l counting envelopes, cards, and other fiat objects, and canbe used for printing small inscriptions .thereon simultaneously with thecounting.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No.78,524, filed December 31, 1925.

Although the machine is capable of a Wide variety of uses, it isintended particularly f for sealing stamped envelopes, and thencancelling the Government stamp and counting .the number of stamps socancelled.

Envelopes to be used in this way maybe of the character now furnished bythe United States Government, and having the postage stamp formeddirectl in the paper of the envelope, or equall Wel may be plainenvelopes to which ad esive Government stamps have been affixed.

' When the sealed envelopes come from the machine with the stampscancelled, and with the name of the rinted thereon, ey can be deliveredin bulk to the post oice and there can be distributed directly into theoutgoing pouches 35. without the delays and labor incident to firstplacing them face up on the sorting table and then passing them throu'ghthe stamp cancelling device now commonly used by the Governmentemployees. A In other words, by the use of this machine, much of thelabor now done at the post oiice is done before the mail reaches thepost ofice, with a consequent saving in time in placing the mail intransit to its destination. The machine is preferably constructed tomoisten andseal the envelope iiap and then l to forward the envelope toa position at which it trips a printing mechanism which, by; arollingmovementover the travelling 5.0 envelope, cancels the postagestamp an prints adjacentthereto other data, such as the -name of thepost oilice, the date and hour o cancellation, and the like. Countingmechanism operatively connected with `clutch mechanism, a tri postofiice and the datet A clutc 1990. Serial I0. 104,800.

the printingmechanism records the number of rinted imprints, andconsequently the num r of envelo es, cards, or-the like, that have beenpasse through the printing mechanism. f

The printing drum is driven through a means being arranged forengagement y an ap roaching envelo e to operate the clutch and) to causea sing e rotation of the printing drum as theenvelope passes thereunder.The present invention the clutch mechanism, together with Ithearrangement of parts provided for controlling the operation of theclutch and the printing drum.

Other ob]ects, advantages and characteristic features of the presentinvention will become apparent -a's the description thereofv drawings,in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of thev completel machine;

Fi 2 is a plan view of the same with the printing and discharge endremoved;

Fig. 3 is a plan view discharge end of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line 8-.-8 of Fig. 1;v l

Fi 5 is a detail of the trip end and mechanism which controls the printinidevice.;

igs. 6 to 9, inclusive, are details of the clutch shown in Fig. 9;

Figs. 10 to 16, inclusive, are details of the die holder and of the diesused for printing;

deals more particularly with of the printing and 'Fig 17 is a detail ofthe trip adjusting device, and

Fig. 18 1s a diagrammatic re resentation of any envelope after it haseen passed through the machine.

Frame-work and ewvelope seang and feeding 'mechanism (F z'gs. 1, 2 and3).

The frame-work of the machine com rises a cast metal base 1, integralwith whic are pairs of suitable supporting members, shown d at 2, 4 andfpreferably connected by transioo 'member 8, the horizontal plate 9, theside i plate and the channel 11.

The receiving platform for the envelopes is at the left hand end o1 themachine as viewed in Fig'. 1, and includes a suitable power driven drum15 which engages the lowermost of a stack of onvelo es and forwards itto the moistening an sealing apparatus. The weight of a stack ofenvelopes 1s relied u n to give a good frictiona'lweu` gagement etweenthe lowest envelope in said stack and the drum 15.

The envelo e is advanced by the drum 15 to a point w ere it is grippedbetween a large rotating ieed roll 26 and a small cyiin rical bae 27.r1`he gummed flap of the envelope extends at right angles therefrom, andis moistened as it passes between the roll 26 and the bao 27 byengagement with a brush on the edge of a rotary moistening drum 63, thelower edge of this brush being immersed in water carried in a suitablecontainer 54. rlfhe enveiope then passes between suitable rota 'stransiter rolls 79 and 92,y which serve to 1 ally press the moistenedgurnmed Hap against the body of the envelope, thus sealing lthe sante.1n this .rnganner9 the envelope is moistened, sealed and forwarded tothe printing mechanism, where e suitable printing operation is per-:termed thereon as hereinafter described.

r1`he cyinidrioai bao 27 and the-Y upper 'transfer roli 'Z9 aresupported by suitable resilient and edy'ustabie means, and suitableguide piates are l rovided for guiding the envelopes and foi ing their'moistened iaps against the bodies thereoie before they encounter thetransfer ro'lis, but as these ineens :torn no e the present invention,vthey wiii be described herein.

rei.

wer roi-1er of the printin mecha- 4mises a drum 164 (Fig. 4 with adrnnris mounted to 163, which is operated by a tr nevers-e pin 167 esiot in the heb ou? the drum. 108 is operativeiy secured ...o6 L y"transverse pin 109. Shaft nriction woo-d. sieeves estive-1y hubs and1.15

, IM in ege..

frein" het Z ft/Pong it 'tiveij/ threaded through a stop 121, the lowerrounded surface of which contacts with base 41. A lock nut 122 isthreaded on sleeve 120 dies are ment 128, this element having a drivingre'lay tion to printing drum 127 because of a tongue and grooveconnection 129. The other clutch element 130 is mounted on shaft 126 andthough not directly keyed thereto has a tongue and groove connection 131with the hub of a gear 132 which is pinned to shaft 126.

The clutching and unclutching of the printing mechanism is effected byelements shown in Figs. 4 9, inclusive. Clutching element 128 carries alug 133 which can swing against the end o1 a locking arm 134. Element128 also has a hub 135 encircled by e. cage 136. Three rollers 137 areloosely mounted -in this cage, but can be forced outwardiy by cam faces133 on the hub and thereby can be brought into gri ping engagement withthe inner surface o cylindrical hub 130. rihis cage 136 also has a lng139 in position to strike against arm 134 et the saine time that lug 133strikes against that arm. coiied spring 140 tends to shift the onge 136on hub 135 thereby foreing roliers 13117 outward into gripping reietionwith. the inner face o1* clutch member 136. is through this mechanism'that cintoh member 130 een be used to drive eintch member 123 andthrough tongue and groove connection 129 een drive printing drinn 12?.iiet driving, however, canoecnr only whencoiied spring 140 iscontracted. The mechanism for controiiing the contraction or expansionorn spring 140 inciudcs the iocizing ari 134 pivoted on Stub shet 141and urged downward by a tension spring 142 enehoret Pn 143 which aisehas o, 144 to recit 1'ne working nose of earn 144 en` J3th 146 carriedby e pivot 14'? on "die heei 148 of ieteh 146 entebie 14@- end a apri@il fr ere a pinraiity position to be en- As shown in c- J heit 1115 ascrew 145. enveiope lifts the finger thereby rocking strait 145 and itsattached,

' fore that revolution is complete,

i at 161.

' chored by screws 164 (Fig. 13).

those fingers swing action of spring 142,

end of groove cam 144 to thrust upwardly on latch 146 133 and 139. `Assoon. as arm 134 has lifted, spring 140 contracts to establish thedesired driving connection between clutch elements 130 and 128, and theprinting drum rotates one revolution to impress the desired imprint onthe envelope. Be-

cam 144 will have wiped entirely across the lower end of Vlatch 146, andinto a position behind that latch. This permits arm 134 to drop backunder the action of spring 142 into position to act again as a stop forlugs 133 and 139 when they have completed their revolution. When instopped position, the trailing edges of these lugs are engaged by alatch 152 pivoted on a stub shaft- 153. The free end of thislatch isurged downward by a spring 154 positioned as shown vin Fi 5. This latchprevents any back lash an keeps the drum in position ready for the nextunlatching.

After the envelope has cleared fingers 151 4downward under the and cam144 is restored to its initial position, latch 146 being pivoted at 147to permit that restoration of cam 144.

Mounted on the printing drum 127 SFig 14) is a cancellationdie 155 forcanceling the postage stamp 0n the envelope and for rinting the-user spermit number or other identifying data. Also mounted on this drum is adie 156 carrying the name of the post olice, and within this die is atype element 157 bearing tion. Rug d pins 158 and 159 rmanently mountein drum 127 kee t ese printing dies from slipping arouniion the shaft.To keep them from sliding off the drum endwise, a s cial expedient isresorted to,

to wit: the ri ht han end of the drum 127 as viewed in ig. 10 has aprotruding flange 160 extending over something more than half a circle,as shown in Fig. 12. The ri ht hand edge of the dies engage under t isflange with a tongue and groove connection At the other end of drum 127is a 162 on which is a leaf spring 163 an- At one end of this spring isa pin 165 engaging-in an annularlgroove 166 cut in the cylin ric'al faceof drum 127. This in bears on the bottom of that groove` at al times. Atthe other 166 is a pin 167 which passes beyond the bottom of groove 166into a rering cess 168. On the right hand edge of ring l0, -there is atongue 162 as viewed in Fig.

169 with the dies.

aud roove connection en adie is to be removed, the operator pullsoutwardly on pin 167 to free .it from,

its' socket, and he then turns ring `162 with respect to drum 127through a part of a revolution or until that part of ring 162 v l Iagainst the t y date and hour of cancellaand a universal joint whichdoes not have a rotrudin flange lies alongside the end of t e die toUnder these circumstances there is enough clearance between the ring andthe end of the die to permit the die to be shifted axially' removed. l

of the cylinder far enough to disengage the tongue and ggoove connectionat 161. Then the die can lifted directly away from the cylinder.Although the dies are rigidly held inv working position they can bereleased and replaced very uickly and without the use of any special toos.

The ink/ng roll (Figs. 1, 3 amd 4) In the upper right hand corner of themachine as viewed in Fig. 1 is a pin 177 on which is pivotally mounted abell crank having a bifurcated outer arm 178 for carrying a transverseshaft 179 on which is mounted a felt inkingroller 180. A sheet metalguard 181 covers the roller. The other arm 182 of the bell crank leverislikewise 'bifurcated and engages in the groove o f a knurled collar 183threaded to a steel post 184'. A lock nut '185 holds this collar inAadjusted position.

4"With this arrangement, the collar 183 may be moved up or own on itspost to control the pressure with which the felt inking roll 180 bears eof the printing drum. To remove the in ing roller for cleaning andrepairing, there is provided on pin 177 a kmirled handle 186 (Fig. 4) bywhich the -pin can be pulled out to release the bell crank and its supp`rted inking that they can be li ed upward out of the machine. Pin 17 7is normally held in working position by friction.

The drive (Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive).

cured on a stub 'shaft 195 and this stubv shaft is connected through auniversal joint'196,

with a coupling shaft 197 and through a universal joint other end ofshaft 106 is connected through a universal joint 199, a coupling shaft200, 201, to a stub shaft 202 on which isvsecu'red a pinion 203. Thelatter meshes with the gear 204 (Fig. 2) on stub shaft 205. lThe Gear`204' serves to drive the transfer'rolls an the feeding and moisteningmechanism through suitable gears and pinions.

' The operation. Envelopes are stacked von* the platform drum so elt 190with inion 193 mesh- L 198 Wit-h shaft 106. The

ies

one above another in substantially horizontal position with their flapshanging downward in shingled relation at the side of the table.Envelopes are picked off one ply one from the bottom of the stack by theriven roller 15, and are dragged forward by the feeding druni and Slideacross the lower face of the relatively stationary cylindrical baiie 27while at the saine time the damp Abristles of the nioistening drum 63wipe the gummed flu S.

llfhen the Hap of an envelope is passing out of contact with the dampbristles, it encounters the curved edge 212 (Fig. 2) of a horizontalplate 99 and is thereby urged inward toward its final position againstthe bottom face of the envelo e. Y

The envelope passes orward through transfer rolls 79 and 92 and'issealed thereby. After passing the transfer rolls, the folding operationis completed and the envelope passes under the tripping fingers 151 andover cooperating fingers 214 4(Fig. 1) and then passes under theprinting roll where it receives an appropriate imprint.

The envelope is then ready for delivery at the post office and vcan besent on its way without the delays incident to sorting and stampcancellation by Government otiicials.

Changes may be made in details of the machine without departing from thespirit of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

l claim:

1. In a machine of the character .describeds the combination of aprinting drum, a power driven lower roll cooperating therewith, adriving connection between said roll and said drum, and including adisengageable clutch, a single means initially holding said printingdrum against rotation and holding said clutch out of engagement, and arelease for said holding means, said release being positioned foractuation by an approaching envelope on which a printed imprint isdesired.

2. 1in a machine of the character de- .'scribed, the combination of aprinting drum,

a power driven lower roll cooperating therewith, a pivoted arm initiallyholding said printing drum against rotation, a latch pivoted on saidarm, a cam operative through said latch to lift said arm, and trippingfingers operatively connected tc said cam and positioned for actuationby an approaching envelope on which a printed imprint is desired.

3A. in a device of the character described, the combination ci a drivingshaft, a roller mounted to therewith and adapted to engage a passingenvelope, a clutch element driven by said shaft, an opposed clutchelement having cam surfaces with rollers engaging therewith and held ina rotative cage, a spring for shiting said rollers on the cam surfacesto engage the opposite clutch element, stop mechanism for governing thecontraction of said spring, and a printing drum operatively connectedfor rotation when said clutch elements are in driving connection withone another.

I4, In a device of the character described, the combination of trippingmechanism in position to be enga ed by a passing envelope, a stopcontrolled y said tripping mechanism, a clutch element initially heldagainst rotation by. said stop and'bearing a spring pressed cage withgripping rollers thereon, an opposed clutch element with which saidrollers can frictionally engage when said cage is released, a printingdrum operatively connected with one clutch element, a shaft o erativelyconnected with the other clutch element, and a roller mounted on saidshaft in position to advance an envelope beyond said rinting drum afterrotation of the printing drum has been checked by disengagement of theclutch elements from one another.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a rotaryprinting drum, a power driven lower roll cooperating therewith, adriving connection between said roll and said drum including adisengageable clutch, a stop lug and a clutch operating lug rotatingwith said drum, and a single arm for simultaneously engaging said lugswhereby said clutch is disengaged and said printing drum is stopped inoaV pre-determined position.

6. In a device of the character described the combination of a drivingshaft, a clutch element driven by said shaft, an opposed clutch elementhaving cam surfaces with rollers engaged therewith and held in arotative cage, a spring for shifting said rollers on the cam surfaces toengage the opposite clutch element, stop mechanism for governing thecontraction of said spring, a clutch operating lug on said rotativecage,

a stop lug on said opposed clutch element,

a printing drum freely mounted on said shaft and connected to saidopposed clutch element, and an arm for simultaneously engagin said stoplug and said clutch operating u whereby said clutch is disen aged andsai drum is stopped in a preetervmined position.

7. iin a device of the character described, the combination of aprinting drum, a power driven lower roli cooperating therewith, adriving connection between said roll and said drum including adisengageableclutch,

a stop lug and a clutch operating lug rotating said drum, an arm forsimultaneecusly engaging said lugs whereby said clutch is disengaged andsaid printing drum is stopped, and means for moving said arm out ofengagement with said lugs upon the approach of an envelcpe.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a printingdrum,y a shaft on which said drum is freely mounted, a clutch elementfixed tc said shaft, an opposed clutch element freely mounted 0n saidshaft and operatively connected to said printing drum, clutch means foroperatively connecting said clutch members and disposed there between,an operating lug extending radially from said clutch means, a stop lugon said opposed clutch member and an arm for simultaneously engagingsaid clutch operating lug and said stop lug for disengaging said clutchand stopping said drum in a predetermined position.

9. In aV device of the character described, the combination of aprinting drum, a shaft on which said drum is freely mounted, a

clutch element fixed to said shaft, an opposed clutch element freelymounted on said shaft and operatively connected to said printing drum,clutch means for operatively connecting said clutch members and disposedthere between, an operating lug extending .radiall from said clutchmeans, a stop lug on Sai opposed clutch member, an

'arm for simultaneously engaging said clutch operating lug and said stoplug for disengaging said clutch and stopping said ldrum in apredetermined position, and means for moving said arm out of engagementwith said lugs on the approach of an envelope.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

GEORGE E. NORTHROP.

